Hinduism

By Herbert Ellinger

Book Overview

After looking at the basis of the Hindu understanding of the world, this introductory account describes the world of the Hindu gods; the Hindu scriptures; the castes, death, and rebirth; monks,... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1563381613
• ISBN13: 9781563381614
• Release Date: April 1996
• Publisher: Trinity Press International
• Length: 104 Pages
• Weight: 0.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 5.0" x 7.8"

Customer Reviews

An excellent first step towards understanding Hinduism

All religions are based on historical events that have occurred over thousands of years. However, some religions such as Christianity, Islam and Buddhism have an existence that can be traced to the life of a single person. Unlike these religions, Hinduism evolved over many years and there is no single person that can be considered the initiator of the religion. Hinduism is also more subtle in the structure of the deities, their relationships to each other and their roles in the life of humans. This makes it more difficult for the monotheistic western mind to understand. It was this puzzlement that led me to read this book. Clearly, it is not possible to completely summarize a religion whose lifespan is measured in millennia in 86 pages. However, Ellinger does as good a job as is possible. He summarizes many of the basic facts in an understandable manner, including the caste system. One of the key points of the religion is that there is no distinct separation between the religious and social aspects of Hindu life. The twin concepts of reincarnation and accumulated karma are intertwined threads that govern the lives of Hindus. In many ways, the concept of karma is a socially satisfying one. A person born to wealth can believe that they are entitled to it due to past good deeds. Yet, they must use their wealth and position to do additional good deeds to improve the chances of an equivalent birth in a later life. This is an interesting book, setting forth the basics of a very complex religion. Sometimes difficult for western minds to understand, for example think of the "sacred cow", it can be understood and appreciated. This book is an excellent first step on that particular path of enlightenment.